New Hunter

Hello everyone. Please don't cringe at my topic I have hunted before and had numerous safety/shooting classes and was in law enforcement for years.
A local ranch owner friend of mine needs me to cover his property for a couple weeks and I know absolutely nothing about hogs. I really don't want to let my friend down and he really only wants me because I shoot well.
Could someone tell me what are the best times of day I should be out there? I would also appreciate any tips on what to watch out for. I realize that not knowing anything about hogs I will not do as good a job as an experienced hunter but would like to do as good a job as possible given the situation.

early mornings, late evenings, and at night. dump some soured corn in any areas you want to bait. you can also use diesel soaked logs. Put your bait areas near any sources of water or creek beds on his place. Good luck and welcome to the THF.

Thanks for the reply. The hogs are attracted to fuel? Now that's weird. I'll pick some up on my way out there. Right now the only rifle I have is an old marlin 30.06, is that too big for a hog? I'll pick up a new rifle if I need to but I sure like this ole gun and have always shot spot on with it.

Oh and also I have never really used a scope am I going to have to shoot from too far away? How close can I really approach these critters?

Does your rifle have a scope on it? And yes the diesel drives the hogs crazy.

No I have honestly never used a scope in my 51 years. I have always used it for coyotes at around 40-50 yards so never needed one before.

Crimanetly I have just been watching some videos of these critters and they are stinkin dangerous!

last hog hunt i went on i just drove around on a 4 wheeler looking for them, came up on a group of a dozen got within 15 yards and another group of 4 and got within 20 yards....they are smart but also stupid

hmmm maybe I should go out with a club then

Looks like I'm set to go out on the 20th. I'll try to get my hands on a camcorder so you guys can watch the newbie mess up

OK I gotta agree with you after watching a bunch of these video's preston. These hogs are plain stupid. Makes me wonder if I would not be better off picking up some kind of semi auto. Is there a good gun out there that wont set me back too much?

It depends on what you are willing to spend. You can get you a lever action in 30-30 for 3 hundred or so. Or, you can get you an Ar-15, for 650 and up. A semi is really better for slinging the lead at them though.

650 is certainly in my price range. Where would I get my best deal though, at a gun show or something? I hate to sound so stupid but I have not bought a gun in like 30 years.

You go to trying to tote a cam corder along with a gun, water, and whatever else you need, you'll "mess up" for sure. Leave the cam corder in camp.

Put out corn, be there an hour or two before dark or be there before sun up, get a comfortable as you can and wait.

They may SEEM stupid but that's kinda only the first time, they catch on quick!

message received thank you sir. I will take only what I need.

Rick sounds spot on. Put some corn out. Hunt the first hour and last hour of the day. Use a gun you know how to shoot and you will be good. Use the wind. ie- hunt walking up wind. Dont think that you can stalk up on a group. Get close enough for a shot and take it.

On our place there are a couple of areas in the woods that you can walk them up in the middle of the day. They go to areas that they feel safe and lay about durring the heat of the day. I've almost stepped on sleeping pigs thinking they were old logs.

If you do stalk them through the woods listening is one of your best tools. A group of three or more active foraging pigs seldom stay completely silent for long.

Whenever I am asked to do this type of thing my general steps are:

1) Get familiar with the land you will be on. Look for "hog trails"
2) set out hunting cameras.
3) gather intel from cameras. (24-48 hours later)
4) add in artifical sweeteners (corn, diesel, etc) to natural "runs"
5) keep up on checking cameras.
6) go out and shoot hogs.
7) repeat as necessary.

alot of times there are so many hogs and so little time you can drive around, find some prints, throw some corn, sit back and wait for them to show up.

Frankly, I think I would find an experienced hunter to go with you and show you the ropes. I am sure you can find a volunteer here.

p make a pre trip and put the things you will need in your blind..a little prep work befor hand should suffice..do take a camcorder and set it up beforhand...sour some corn for aweek and add some strawberry jello..as hot as it is hogs on my place are only runing at nite..good luck

if an hour around waco or lake fork im IN

If you're wondering what a 30-30 can do, search for posts by Silverboar in this forum, or the Photos forum. That guy is a hog killing machine and he uses a Marlin lever action topped with a scope. There's no arguing with the evidence.

If you are comfortable and consistent with the 30-06, then use it. Shot placement is the key for DRT.

If you want the ability to put more on the ground at one time, then a semi-auto rifle is the way to go. Or if you get close enough and you're just out there to eliminate the hogs, you could use a good semi-auto or pump 12ga with buck shot.

I like the AR10 with Night Vision. 4 shots, 4 hogs, in about 10 seconds in the video below. Best viewed in 720HD......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQHicn75fTs

Cringe??? We're not going to cringe when someone asks for advice. Shoot we'll give it to you without the asking